Using Mysteries to Teach in the Classroom
Mysteries are great to use with all ages of children in the
classroom. The books provide interesting stories about all subjects
like science, math, and social studies. Children are more likely to
pay attention to these stories and learn about various subject matter while
reading!
Picture Books
The Eleventh Hour by Graeme
Base - Social Studies
Summary
Horace the Elephant decides to give himself a party for his 11th birthday, but he never imagines a crime will be committed by lunchtime. Someone has stolen his birthday feast! Everyone is guilty until proven innocent. The clues can be found in the wonderful illustrations.
Why Use It?
This picture book would be great to use to learn the art of problem solving and paying attention to the pictures and text while reading. There are also all types of discussion starters from Egyptian hieroglyphics, the countries of Africa and Asia, and stone carvings from India.
Art
Dog by Thatcher Hurd - Art
Summary
Someone has stolen the Mona Woofa from the Dogopolis Museum of Art! The police have the wrong suspect, and it is up to Art Dog to find the missing masterpiece!
Why Use It?
The book could be a fun way to introduce famous paintings by having the students name the real painting the book is spoofing.
Who
is the Beast? by Keith Baker - Science
Summary
A friendly tiger is confused by the animals in the jungle running away from a beast, until he discovers he is the beast!
Why Use It?
This is a good book to start with to introduce the genre of mysteries. It could also be used during a science unit as an introduction to the food chain or animals in the jungle.
Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar - Mitsumasa Anno - Math
Summary
Anno has a jar that has objects in it such as 1 island, with two countries, which have 3 mountains and so on until the jar reaches 10. Beautiful illustrations help to capture the story.
Why Use It?
A great book to use as an introduction to multiplication. The concept is reinforced in the illustrations and borders on the pages.
The Mary Celeste: An Unsolved Mystery from History by Jane Yolen, Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple,
& Roger Roth - Social Studies
Summary
A traveling ship called the "Mary Celeste" was found crewless in 1872. No one knows what happened. Readers have the opportunity to study the clues and theories given in the book and see if they can help solve this mystery from history.
Why Use It?
The students will use their critical thinking skills in creating their own theories about this mystery. The book is easy for students to understand and will engage them in trying to conclude what happened to the crew of the "Mary Celeste."
Folktales
More Stories to Solve: Fifteen Folktales from Around the World by
George Shannon
Summary
A collection of folktales from different cultures in which contain a riddle to solve. What's even better is that the clues to the riddles are solvable from the clues in the illustrations!
Why Use It?
This book would be wonderful to use during a folktale unit and studying folktales from other countries. Children will enjoy the mystery of trying to find the clues to the riddles in the poems. Another great way to practice problem solving and inferencing!
Jake Gander, Storyville Detective: The Case of the Greedy Granny
by
George McClements
Summary
A parody of nursery rhymes where Jake Gander (an investigator, not a goose) gets a call from Red R. Hood about a P.W.T. (Possible Wolf Trouble). He goes to Red's Granny's house to check things out. He finds a brown beast under a duvet, but does not jump to conclusions. When he finds the real Granny's gone on vacation, he arrests his man, or wolf.
Why Use It?
As a comparison to different versions of Little Red Riding Hood during a fairy tale unit, it would be fun to use this to show the different style of writing and illustrations.
Chapter Books - Historical Fiction
Whistler in
the Dark by Kathleen Ernst, Jean-Paul
Tibbles, & Greg Dearth
Summary
A twelve-year-old girl, Emma Henderson in the year 1867 is upset about moving to a gold-rush town in the wild Colorado Territory where there are no houses, schools, or girls Emma's age. She is moving there because her widowed mother took a newspaper job there. Someone does not want them there and makes this clear to Emma and her mother. Emma is also scared because a ghost-like figure followed them there from Chicago and each night goes by the boarding house where Emma and her mother are staying and whistles the tune Emma's late father used to whistle before he was killed during the Civil War.
Why Use It?
This book would be a good addition to have for the students to use when studying about life after the Civil War and about the gold-rush towns and the push to move West.
Keeping Room by Anna Myers
Summary
A story about the Revolutionary War about Joey Kershaw, a thirteen-year-old boy, who becomes the man of his house after his father leaves to fight against the British. Trouble happens for Joey and his family when General Cornwallis comes to town and uses their home as his headquarters and their family garden as a place to hang American prisoners. Joey does not like it and plans to get revenge no matter what!
Why Use It?
During a unit on the Revolutionary War, students could learn about one aspect of the war through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Joey. Students may connect with Joey and want to learn more about this time. Students can research places and names throughout the book.
Spider Web for Two: A Melendy Maze by
Elizabeth Enright
Summary
This is the last book in the Melendy series and was written in 1951. When Randy and Oliver's siblings are sent to boarding school, they are left home lonely and bored until a mysterious letter arrives. They are the ones there who need to solve the mystery.
Why Use It?
The students can find out more about the time period of the 1950s and compare life then to life now.
Chapter Books - Realistic Fiction - Geography
The Mystery at the Alamo
- Boxcar Children Mysteries by Gertrude Chandler
Summary
A priceless ring disappears from the Alamo museum while the Aldens are visiting there on vacation. The main actress of the documentary being filmed there is accused of taking the ring. The Aldens decide to investigate what happened to the ring.
Why Use It?
The students will be able recognize the places mentioned in the book located in Texas. They will also be able to learn further about the Battle of the Alamo.
Mysteries in Our National Parks: Buried Alive #12
by Glorial Skurzynski
Summary
Another thriller in the series that has the Landons in Alaska. The parents, wildlife biologist, Olivia and her photographer husband, Steven are there to study the effects of snowmobiles on the wolverine population of Denali National Park. The kids Jack, Ashley, and friend Nicky are asked by a man in a Park Service uniform to take a ride on a dogsled. The kids enthusiastically accept and travel into the frozen wilderness. When the man suddenly leaves and leaves the kids stranded, the kids have to figure out what to do. They have to fight for their lives against the cold and an avalanche!
Why Use It?
Students will experience the Alaskan environment through the characters in the story. The book is a way to introduce features of the Alaskan tundra and avalanches which the students can research more about the topics.
Chapter Books - Realistic Fiction - Cultures
Curse of the Ruins by Gary Paulsen
Summary
A mystery about three kids Katie, Sam, and their cousin Shala who take a trip to San Marcos, New Mexico to meet Katie and Sam's dad. He is an anthropologist and is studying the ruins of the ancient cliff dwellers at El Debajo. However, he does not show up at the airport to meet the kids. Was he kidnapped? Does he have enemies? Or is there a curse at the ruins of El Debajo?
Why Use It?
When studying the Southwest region, the students can use the book to learn more about the people who lived in the Southwest. They can also talk about features of New Mexico and places mentioned throughout the story.
Chapter Book - Realistic Fiction - Science
Qwerty
Stevens Back in Time: The Edison Mystery by Dan Gutman
Summary
Thirteen-year-old Qwerty digs up an old secret box that the slimey Ashley Quadral wants badly, and Qwerty does not know why. What was in the box that Edison buried over a hundred years ago? It is up to Qwerty and his sisters to use Edison's machine to save a life and in the process make history. A blend of fact and fiction makes this an exciting time-travel adventure!
Why Use It?
While learning about inventors and inventions, the students could read this novel and learn more about Thomas Edison. They could talk about the idea of time travel and what time they would like to visit if they had the opportunity to go back in time.
Chapter Book - Realistic Fiction - Math
The Case of the Backyard Treasure
by Joanne Rocklin, Marilyn Burns, & John Speirs
Summary
Liz the Whiz & Company get a message challenging them to find a treasure. Liz, her brother Henry, and their dog look for clues and secret messages to find the hidden treasure.
Why Use It?
The students will enjoy learning math while trying to figure out a mystery. It is good practice for the students to use mental math and identify geometric shapes.
Real-Life Mysteries
Real-life Math Mysteries by Mary F. Washington
Summary
Students get a chance to use their problem-solving skills in real world math problems. Included are interviews with people in various professions ranging from a zookeeper to a horse stable owner.
Why Use It?
A great book to use for the students to experience using math problem solving strategies for real-world situations.
Biography
Meet Jane Yolen (About the Author) by Alice B. McGinty
Summary
Information about the author's life and work.
Why Use It?
It is interesting for students to find out about their favorite authors and how they decided to do what they do.
Resources for Mysteries
MysteryNet.com
Why Use It?
A wonderful resource for all information about mysteries! Offers lesson plans, a kids mystery link, games, and much more!
Using Mysteries in the Classroom
Why Use It?
Includes so many ideas of how to use mysteries including books, units, and great links!
Resources for Mysteries
Amazon.com
Why Use It?
A great resource to find information on all types of products and especially books! Information is given about the books such as age-level, reviews, and description of books.
AnyBook4Less.com
Why Use It?
This site is good to use to find all kinds of books, reviews, and information about the books. The site also offers comparison prices of places to get the book.
Barnes & Noble.com
Why Use It?
Another great resource in finding information about books and other products. The site offers product descriptions, age appropriateness of product, and reviews of product.
Picture Books
The Eleventh Hour by Graeme
Base - Social StudiesSummary
Horace the Elephant decides to give himself a party for his 11th birthday, but he never imagines a crime will be committed by lunchtime. Someone has stolen his birthday feast! Everyone is guilty until proven innocent. The clues can be found in the wonderful illustrations.
Why Use It?
This picture book would be great to use to learn the art of problem solving and paying attention to the pictures and text while reading. There are also all types of discussion starters from Egyptian hieroglyphics, the countries of Africa and Asia, and stone carvings from India.
Art
Dog by Thatcher Hurd - ArtSummary
Someone has stolen the Mona Woofa from the Dogopolis Museum of Art! The police have the wrong suspect, and it is up to Art Dog to find the missing masterpiece!
Why Use It?
The book could be a fun way to introduce famous paintings by having the students name the real painting the book is spoofing.
Who
is the Beast? by Keith Baker - ScienceSummary
A friendly tiger is confused by the animals in the jungle running away from a beast, until he discovers he is the beast!
Why Use It?
This is a good book to start with to introduce the genre of mysteries. It could also be used during a science unit as an introduction to the food chain or animals in the jungle.
Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar - Mitsumasa Anno - MathSummary
Anno has a jar that has objects in it such as 1 island, with two countries, which have 3 mountains and so on until the jar reaches 10. Beautiful illustrations help to capture the story.
Why Use It?
A great book to use as an introduction to multiplication. The concept is reinforced in the illustrations and borders on the pages.
The Mary Celeste: An Unsolved Mystery from History by Jane Yolen, Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple,
& Roger Roth - Social StudiesSummary
A traveling ship called the "Mary Celeste" was found crewless in 1872. No one knows what happened. Readers have the opportunity to study the clues and theories given in the book and see if they can help solve this mystery from history.
Why Use It?
The students will use their critical thinking skills in creating their own theories about this mystery. The book is easy for students to understand and will engage them in trying to conclude what happened to the crew of the "Mary Celeste."
Folktales
More Stories to Solve: Fifteen Folktales from Around the World by
George ShannonSummary
A collection of folktales from different cultures in which contain a riddle to solve. What's even better is that the clues to the riddles are solvable from the clues in the illustrations!
Why Use It?
This book would be wonderful to use during a folktale unit and studying folktales from other countries. Children will enjoy the mystery of trying to find the clues to the riddles in the poems. Another great way to practice problem solving and inferencing!
Jake Gander, Storyville Detective: The Case of the Greedy Granny
by
George McClementsSummary
A parody of nursery rhymes where Jake Gander (an investigator, not a goose) gets a call from Red R. Hood about a P.W.T. (Possible Wolf Trouble). He goes to Red's Granny's house to check things out. He finds a brown beast under a duvet, but does not jump to conclusions. When he finds the real Granny's gone on vacation, he arrests his man, or wolf.
Why Use It?
As a comparison to different versions of Little Red Riding Hood during a fairy tale unit, it would be fun to use this to show the different style of writing and illustrations.
Chapter Books - Historical Fiction
Whistler in
the Dark by Kathleen Ernst, Jean-Paul
Tibbles, & Greg DearthSummary
A twelve-year-old girl, Emma Henderson in the year 1867 is upset about moving to a gold-rush town in the wild Colorado Territory where there are no houses, schools, or girls Emma's age. She is moving there because her widowed mother took a newspaper job there. Someone does not want them there and makes this clear to Emma and her mother. Emma is also scared because a ghost-like figure followed them there from Chicago and each night goes by the boarding house where Emma and her mother are staying and whistles the tune Emma's late father used to whistle before he was killed during the Civil War.
Why Use It?
This book would be a good addition to have for the students to use when studying about life after the Civil War and about the gold-rush towns and the push to move West.
Keeping Room by Anna MyersSummary
A story about the Revolutionary War about Joey Kershaw, a thirteen-year-old boy, who becomes the man of his house after his father leaves to fight against the British. Trouble happens for Joey and his family when General Cornwallis comes to town and uses their home as his headquarters and their family garden as a place to hang American prisoners. Joey does not like it and plans to get revenge no matter what!
Why Use It?
During a unit on the Revolutionary War, students could learn about one aspect of the war through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Joey. Students may connect with Joey and want to learn more about this time. Students can research places and names throughout the book.
Spider Web for Two: A Melendy Maze by
Elizabeth EnrightSummary
This is the last book in the Melendy series and was written in 1951. When Randy and Oliver's siblings are sent to boarding school, they are left home lonely and bored until a mysterious letter arrives. They are the ones there who need to solve the mystery.
Why Use It?
The students can find out more about the time period of the 1950s and compare life then to life now.
Chapter Books - Realistic Fiction - Geography
The Mystery at the Alamo
- Boxcar Children Mysteries by Gertrude ChandlerSummary
A priceless ring disappears from the Alamo museum while the Aldens are visiting there on vacation. The main actress of the documentary being filmed there is accused of taking the ring. The Aldens decide to investigate what happened to the ring.
Why Use It?
The students will be able recognize the places mentioned in the book located in Texas. They will also be able to learn further about the Battle of the Alamo.
Mysteries in Our National Parks: Buried Alive #12
by Glorial SkurzynskiSummary
Another thriller in the series that has the Landons in Alaska. The parents, wildlife biologist, Olivia and her photographer husband, Steven are there to study the effects of snowmobiles on the wolverine population of Denali National Park. The kids Jack, Ashley, and friend Nicky are asked by a man in a Park Service uniform to take a ride on a dogsled. The kids enthusiastically accept and travel into the frozen wilderness. When the man suddenly leaves and leaves the kids stranded, the kids have to figure out what to do. They have to fight for their lives against the cold and an avalanche!
Why Use It?
Students will experience the Alaskan environment through the characters in the story. The book is a way to introduce features of the Alaskan tundra and avalanches which the students can research more about the topics.
Chapter Books - Realistic Fiction - Cultures
Curse of the Ruins by Gary PaulsenSummary
A mystery about three kids Katie, Sam, and their cousin Shala who take a trip to San Marcos, New Mexico to meet Katie and Sam's dad. He is an anthropologist and is studying the ruins of the ancient cliff dwellers at El Debajo. However, he does not show up at the airport to meet the kids. Was he kidnapped? Does he have enemies? Or is there a curse at the ruins of El Debajo?
Why Use It?
When studying the Southwest region, the students can use the book to learn more about the people who lived in the Southwest. They can also talk about features of New Mexico and places mentioned throughout the story.
Chapter Book - Realistic Fiction - Science
Qwerty
Stevens Back in Time: The Edison Mystery by Dan GutmanSummary
Thirteen-year-old Qwerty digs up an old secret box that the slimey Ashley Quadral wants badly, and Qwerty does not know why. What was in the box that Edison buried over a hundred years ago? It is up to Qwerty and his sisters to use Edison's machine to save a life and in the process make history. A blend of fact and fiction makes this an exciting time-travel adventure!
Why Use It?
While learning about inventors and inventions, the students could read this novel and learn more about Thomas Edison. They could talk about the idea of time travel and what time they would like to visit if they had the opportunity to go back in time.
Chapter Book - Realistic Fiction - Math
The Case of the Backyard Treasure
by Joanne Rocklin, Marilyn Burns, & John SpeirsSummary
Liz the Whiz & Company get a message challenging them to find a treasure. Liz, her brother Henry, and their dog look for clues and secret messages to find the hidden treasure.
Why Use It?
The students will enjoy learning math while trying to figure out a mystery. It is good practice for the students to use mental math and identify geometric shapes.
Real-Life Mysteries
Real-life Math Mysteries by Mary F. WashingtonSummary
Students get a chance to use their problem-solving skills in real world math problems. Included are interviews with people in various professions ranging from a zookeeper to a horse stable owner.
Why Use It?
A great book to use for the students to experience using math problem solving strategies for real-world situations.
Biography
Meet Jane Yolen (About the Author) by Alice B. McGinty
Summary
Information about the author's life and work.
Why Use It?
It is interesting for students to find out about their favorite authors and how they decided to do what they do.
Resources for Mysteries
MysteryNet.com
Why Use It?
A wonderful resource for all information about mysteries! Offers lesson plans, a kids mystery link, games, and much more!
Using Mysteries in the Classroom
Why Use It?
Includes so many ideas of how to use mysteries including books, units, and great links!
Resources for Mysteries
Amazon.com
Why Use It?
A great resource to find information on all types of products and especially books! Information is given about the books such as age-level, reviews, and description of books.
AnyBook4Less.com
Why Use It?
This site is good to use to find all kinds of books, reviews, and information about the books. The site also offers comparison prices of places to get the book.
Barnes & Noble.com
Why Use It?
Another great resource in finding information about books and other products. The site offers product descriptions, age appropriateness of product, and reviews of product.